Lug strap for weaving loom

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for driving and controlling the picker sticks associated with a fly-shuttle weaving loom. The apparatus includes an improved lug strap having vibration absorbing cushioning members for reducing noise pollution and for providing better control of the picker stick.

United States Patent [191 Benedict et al.

[451 Aug. 19, 1975 1 LUG STRAP FOR WEAVING LOOM [75] Inventors: Charles E. Benedict, Tallahassee;

Calvin C. Oliver, Gainesville, both of Fla.

[731 Assignees: Wayne H. Coloney Company, Inc.; Controlled Acoustics, lnc., both of Tallahassee, Fla.

22] Filed: Jan. 15,1974 21 App1.No.:433,592

[52] US. Cl. 139/153; 139/164; 139/167 [51] Int. Cl. D03D 49/40 [58] Field of Search 139/151, 153, 154,163, 139/164,165,166, 167

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,146,697 Evans 139/164 Jacobs 139/153 Moe 139/153 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 21,615 3/1901 Switzerland 139/164 Primary Examiner-Mervin Stein Assistant Examiner-Steven Hawkins Attorney, Agent, or FirmA. Yates Dowell, Jr.

l ABSTRACT Apparatus for driving and controlling the picker sticks associated with a fly-shuttle weaving loom. The appa ratus includes an improved lug strap having vibration absorbing cushioning members for reducing noise pollution and for providing better control of the picker stick.

6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures LUG STRAP FOR WEAVING LOOM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to flat bed weaving looms and relates particularly to apparatus for driving and controlling the picker sticks of fly-shuttle looms.

2. Description of the Prior Art Fly-shuttle looms haveincluded a lay which oscillates back and forth toward the front and rear of the loom while a multiplicity of warp threads are supported along the length of the lay with the rear portion of each warp thread extending through a heddle. During normal weaving operations, certain heddles are raised and other heddles are lowered, after which a shuttle carrying a weft thread or filler is thrown from one end of the lay to the other. The shuttle is thrown from side to side of the lay by a picker stick at each end thereof and such picker sticks are swingably mounted at their lower ends on a parallel foot mechanism which permits in and out motion of the upper portion of the stick, as well as back and forth motion thereof. The upper end of each picker stick extends through a slot in the lay and is provided with a pick head which intimately engages the end of the shuttle when the shuttle is at the end of the lay.

In order to drive the shuttle, a cam having a toe portion, return portion, and dwell portion, is located at each side of the loom and is rotated in timed relationship with the back and forth movement of the lay. A pick ball or cam follower is mounted on a pick shaft and engages the periphery of the cam so that the cam causes oscillation or partial rotation of the pick shaft as the pick ball rides over the toe, return, and dwell portions of the cam. A pick arm is connected at one end to the pick shaft and the opposite end of such pick arm is swingably connected to one end of a pitman or connecting link.

The opposite end of the connecting link is attached to a generally U-shaped lug strap having substantially parallel arms which pass through slots in a power block adjustably mounted on the picker stick. The bight portion of the lug strap normally is spaced approximately /2 inch from the picker stick when the picker stick is in cocked position and the pick ball engages the dwell portion of the cam. When the cam toe portion engages the pick ball. such pick ball is moved rapidly upwardly and swings the pick arm in a direction away from the picker stick to cause the bight portion of the lug strap to engage the picker stick with an impact force and cause rapid acceleration of the picker stick to throw the shuttle to the other side of the lay.

During the power stroke of the picker stick, the bight portion of the lug strap remains in engagement with the picker stick; however, when the pick ball reaches the outermost limits of the cam toe portion, the shuttle leaves the pick head in its free flight across the lay. As soon as the shuttle leaves the pick head, the picker stick no longer encounters resistance and momentum carries the picker stick through the lay slot and the lug strap until the picker stick engages a bumper or stop member at the inner end of the lay slot with substantial impact. Normally a conventional check strap is mounted on the lay to help decelerate the picker stick; however, the picker stick has continued to slam into the bumper with substantial force.

During the time that the picker stick is driving the shuttle inwardly of the loom during the power stroke,

as well as during the time that the picker stick is being returned to its outer cocked position, the lay is moving pack and forth which causes the picker stick to slap against the sides of the lay slot, as well as the sides of the lug strap.

Some efforts have been made to control movement of the picker stick through the lug strap by connecting the lug strap to either the picker stick or the power block. such as in the patents to Walmsley et al. U.S. Pat. No. 784,195; Ladeau U.S. Pat. No. 1,716,178; Vanore U.S. Pat. No. 2,466,287; and Schwabe U.S. Pat. No. 2,601,874, while other efforts have been made to confine or limit the movement of the picker stick through the lug strap, such as exemplified by the patents to Begins U.S. Pat. No. 628,914; Anderson U.S. Pat. No. 1,790,966; and Moe U.S. Pat. No. 2,445,744.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is embodied in an improved lug strap having apparatus for cushioning and absorbing impact related vibrations to reduce noise levels, as well as apparatus providing better control of the picker stick by preventing contact between the picker stick and the sides of the lug strap, and providing a frictional binding action to assist in decelerating the picker stick as the stick moves through the lug strap.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective illustrating one application of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged section on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a section similar to FIG. 2 illustrating a modified form of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a section similar to FIG. 2 illustrating a further modified form of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With continued reference to the drawing, a flat bed weaving loom 10 is provided having a lay 11 with a slot 12 at each end. The lay 11 is adapted to be moved back and forth in the direction of the arrow 13 by conventional loom mechanism (not shown). A shuttle 14 is movably mounted on the upper surface of the lay 11 and is adapted to be propelled lengthwise from one end of the lay to the other by a picker stick 15 located at each end of the lay. A pick head 16 is mounted on the upper end of the picker stick 15 in a manner to engage and propel the shuttle 14 along the lay.

A check strap 17 is supported beneath the lay in any conventional manner (not shown) and such check strap is adapted to retard the picker stick l5 and assist in deceleration thereof at the end of the power stroke as the picker stick moves through the lay slot 12. Normally a bumper or end of lay piece 18 of leather, rubber or other resilient material is located at the outer end of the lay slot 12 and a hard rubber cushion or bumper (not shown) is located at the inner end of such lay slot to stop the picker stick 15 at opposite extremities of its stroke.

The lower end of the picker stick 15 is swingably connected to a parallel foot mechanism 19 which permits in and out swinging movement of the upper end of such stick and has a spring or other resilient member 20 for returning the picker stick toward the outermost position after the shuttle has been propelled across the lay.

The parallel foot mechanism 19 is mounted on a shaft 21 journaled in a bearing 22 carried by the frame of the loom l and such shaft is adapted to partially rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow 23.

In order to drive the picker stick 15, a cam 26 is mounted on a drive shaft 26 which rotates in the direction of the arrow 28 and such cam includes a toe or rise portion 29, a return portion 30, and a dwell portion 31. A pick ball 32 is rotatably mounted on an axle 33 which is secured to a pick shaft 34 and such pick ball normally follows the contour of the cam 26. The pick shaft 34 is journaled in bearings 35 at opposite ends so that such pick shaft partially rotates back and forth in the direc tion of the arrow 36 as the pick ball 32 follows the contour of the cam 26. A pick arm 37 has one end fixed to the pick shaft 34 and the opposite end of the pick arm is connected by a pivot 38 to one end of a pitman or connecting link 39. Partial rotation of the pick shaft 34 swings the pick arm 37 and causes in and out movement of the connecting link 39 substantially in the direction of the arrow 40.

A generally U-shaped lug strap 44 having substantially parallel arms 45 connected at one end by a bight portion 46 is connected to the opposite end of the connecting link 39 by a fastener 47. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the lug strap is retained in fixed adjusted position relative to the picker stick by a conventional power block 48 to adjust the length and velocity of the picker stick stroke. To provide for adjustability of the lug strap relative to the connecting link, each of the lug strap arms 45 is provided with an elongated slot 49 in which the fastener 47 is received so that the lug strap can be moved lengthwise of the connecting link and secured in adjusted position by the fastener.

With particular reference to FIG. 2, a partition 50 extends between the arms 45 of the lug strap and is welded thereto in spaced relationship with the bight portion 46. A pair of impact and sound vibration absorbing bumpers 51 of rubber or other resilient material are provided with one of such bumpers being mounted on the bight portion 46 of the lug strap and the other bumper mounted on the partition 50 in any desired manner, as by adhesives or the like. As illustrated, each of the bumpers 51 is provided with a plurality of recesses or grooves 52 which increase the resiliency thereof although it is contemplated that such recesses could be omitted depending upon the resiliency and composition of the material of the bumpers.

A flexible, resilient, friction applying member 55 is mounted within the lug strap 44 and such member has opposed side walls 56 connected by end walls 57. The opposite extremities of each of the side walls 56 are in engagement with the inner surfaces of the arms 45 while the central portions of such side walls are bowed inwardly to frictionally engage the sides of the picker stick 15. The opposite extremities of each of the end walls 57 are in engagement with the bumpers 51, while the central portions of such end walls are bowed inwardly toward the picker stick.

If desired the amount of force which the side walls apply to the picker stick can be controlled by providing a pressure plate 58 in engagement with the outer surface of the central portions of the side walls 56 and such plate is urged inwardly by a spring or other resilient member 59. The tension applied by the spring can be adjusted by mounting the end of the spring 59 on a carrier plate 60 mounted on one end of a fastener or adjusting screw 61 having an operating portion exteriorly of the lug strap.

With particular reference to FIG. 3 a modified form of lug strap is provided in which the bumper adjacent to the partition has been omitted. In this embodiment, the inner end wall 57 of the friction member is located adjacent to the partition 50. This structure is used when the side walls 56 and the check strap 17 substantially decelerate the picker stick and the collapsing of the inwardly bowed central portion of the inner end wall 57 is sufficient to stop inward movement of the picker stick 15.

With reference to FIG. 4, a further modified form of the invention is disclosed in which the partition 50 has been omitted and a flexible resilient friction applying member 62 is provided which is similar to the friction member 55 with the exception that one of the end walls 57 has been removed. Preferably in this modification the free ends 63 of the friction member 62 are bonded or otherwise adhered to the inner surface of the arms 45 of the lug strap.

In the operation of the device, the cam 26 is driven in the direction of the arrow 28 from a source of energy such as an electric motor or the like and when the toe or rise portion 29 engages the pick ball 32 the pick shaft 34 is rotated rapidly through an arc in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 1, to cause the pick arm 37 to move rapidly to the fight. Since the lug strap 44 normally engages the picker stick, movement of the pick arm causes the upper portion of the picker stick 15 to move through the lay slot 11 so that the pick head 16 which is in engagement with the shuttle l4 overcomes the inertia of the shuttle and quickly accelerates the shuttle toward the opposite end of the lay. While the pick ball is moving up the inclined surface of the cam toe, the pick head continues to accelerate the shuttle as the picker stick remains in contact with the lug strap 44. As soon as the shuttle has attained sufficient acceleration, the pick ball passes over the cam toe so that inward movement of the lug strap 44 is halted and the picker stick is no longer being moved inwardly by a positive drive. However, the momentum of the picker stick continues to move the picker stick inwardly of the lay slot and the lug strap. When the picker stick moves through the lug strap,-the side walls 56 of the friction member immediately cause the picker stick to decelerate until the picker stick engages the check strap 17 which further decelerates the picker stick. At approximately the same time the upper portion of the picker stick engages the check strap, the intermediate portion of the picker stick engages the inner end wall 57 of the friction member 55 adjacent to the connecting link 39 and causes such end wall to collapse against the inner bumper 51 mounted on the partition 50 to stop further inward movement of the picker'stick while absorbing the impact force and the sound vibrations induced thereby.

As soon as the inward movement of the picker stick has been arrested. the spring 20 on the parallel foot mechanism 19 begins to return the picker stick to the outward position against the tension applied by the side walls 56 of the friction member within the lug strap. Before the picker stick has returned to the cocked position, the picker stick on the other end of the lay has thrown the shuttle back so that the shuttle engages the pick head and drives the same outwardly. The intermediate portion of the picker stick engages the bowed portion of the outer end wall 57 of the friction member and causes such end wall to collapse against the outer bumper 51 which absorbs the impact force of the shuttle and the picker stick and causes the picker stickto stop in a cocked position. Due to the resiliency of the friction member and the bumper of the lug strap, the shuttle remains in intimate contact with the pick head and does not bounce back as is conventional.

It has been found that in some looms the resistance applied by the side walls 56 of the friction member within the lug strap has been sufficient to substantially stop the picker stick particularly in cooperation with the "heck strap 17 and therefore the inner lug strap bumper adjacent to the partition 50 can be omitted, as illustrated in FIG. 3.

With reference to FIG. 4, it has been found that in some weaving looms the resistance of the side walls 56 and the check strap 17 has been sufficient to substantially halt the inward movement of the upper portion of the picker stick and therefore the partition 50 and the inner end of the friction member 62 have been omitted. In this embodiment, the conventional bumper at the inner end of the lay slot 12 may be retained.

Since the lay 11 is moving back and forth on the loom the picker sticks are moving in and out, the inwardly bowed portions of the side walls 56 of the friction member 55 restrict the movement of the picker stick to the longitudinal axis of the lug strap 44 and prevent contact between the picker stick and the arms 45 of the lug strap. If desired, the sides of the lay slot 12 could be lined with shock and vibration absorbing material to reduce or eliminate the framing around or chattering of the picker stick within the lay slot.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for driving and controlling the picker sticks of a fly-shuttle weaving loom comprising a generally U-shaped lug strap having a pair of generally parallel arms connected by a bight portion, at least one bumper mounted on said lug strap, a friction applying member carried by said lug strap, said member having a pair of opposed side walls and at least one end wall, each of said side walls having first portions engaging the arms of said lug strap and a second portion extending inwardly to frictionally engage the picker stick. said end wall having first portions engageable with said bumper and a second portion spaced therefrom in a position to engage and cushion said picker stick when the stick is moved against the same, and means for moving said lug strap.

2. The structure of claim 1 including a pair of bumpers at opposite ends of said lug strap for limiting the movement of said picker stick and absorbing impact and sound vibrations.

3. The structure of claim 1 including means for adjusting the frictional tension of the second portions of the side walls of said friction applying member.

4. The structure of claim 1 in which the second portion of said end wall is collapsible.

5. The structure of claim 1 including a partition fixed to said lug strap in spaced relationship to said bight portion, a resilient bumper mounted on each of said bight portion and said partition, and said friction applying member having end walls in engagement with each of said bumpers.

6. In a lug strap for driving and controlling the picker stick of a fly-shuttle weaving loom in which the lug strap is mounted on a connecting link and receives the intermediate portion of a swingably mounted picker stick, said picker stick being movable in and out as well as back and forth relative to said loom, the improvement comprising a friction applying member carried by said lug strap, said member having a pair of opposed side walls and at least one end wall, said end wall having resilient cushion means to engage and stop the movement of the picker stick in one direction when the stick is moved against the same, said side walls having inwardly extending resilient portions for frictionally engaging opposite sides of the picker stick substantially continuously to retard movement thereof and prevent contact between the picker stick and the lug strap. 

1. Apparatus for driving and controlling the picker sticks of a fly-shuttle weaving loom comprising a generally U-shaped lug strap having a pair of generally parallel arms connected by a bight portion, at least one bumper mounted on said lug strap, a friction applying member carried by said lug strap, said member having a pair of opposed side walls and at least one end wall, each of said side walls having first portions engaging the arms of said lug strap and a second portion extending inwardly to frictionally engage the picker stick, said end wall having first portions engageable with said bumper and a second portion spaced therefrom in a position to engage and cushion said picker stick when the stick is moved against the same, and means for moving said lug strap.
 2. The structure of claim 1 including a pair of bumpers at opposite ends of said lug strap for limiting the movement of said picker stick and absorbing impact and sound vibrations.
 3. The structure of claim 1 including means for adjusting the frictional tension of the second portions of the side walls of said friction applying member.
 4. The structure of claim 1 in which the second portion of said end wall is collapsible.
 5. The structure of claim 1 including a partition fixed to said lug strap in spaced relationship to said bight portion, a resilient bumper mounted on each of said bight portion and said partition, and said friction applying member having end walls in engagement with each of said bumpers.
 6. In a lug strap for driving and controlling the picker stick of a fly-shuttle weaving loom in which the lug strap is mounted on a connecting link and receives the intermediate portion of a swingably mounted picker stick, said picker stick being movable in and out as well as back and forth relative to said loom, the improvement comprising a friction applying member carried by said lug strap, said member having a pair of opposed side walls and at least one end wall, said end wall having resilient cushion means to engage and stop the movement of the picker stick in one direction when the stick is moved against the same, said side walls having inwardly extending resilient portions for frictionally engaging opposite sides of the picker stick substantially continuously to retard movement thereof and prevent contact between the picker stick and the lug strap. 